CVE-2025-71222 in Linux
Summary
by MITRE • 02/14/2026
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
wifi: wlcore: ensure skb headroom before skb_push
This avoids occasional skb_under_panic Oops from wl1271_tx_work. In this case, headroom is less than needed (typically 110 - 94 = 16 bytes).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/06/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-71222 affects the Linux kernel's wireless networking subsystem, specifically within the wlcore driver implementation for wl1271 wireless devices. This issue represents a classic buffer management flaw that can lead to system instability and potential denial of service conditions. The vulnerability manifests in the transmission work queue processing function where packet buffer management fails to properly account for required headroom space, creating a scenario where kernel memory corruption can occur during wireless packet transmission operations.
The technical root cause stems from insufficient validation of socket buffer (skb) headroom allocation before attempting to prepend data to the packet buffer. When the wl1271_tx_work function processes wireless transmission tasks, it assumes a minimum headroom of 110 bytes but encounters situations where only 94 bytes are available, resulting in a deficit of 16 bytes. This discrepancy triggers an skb_under_panic condition, which is a kernel protection mechanism designed to detect and prevent memory corruption scenarios. The underlying issue demonstrates poor resource management practices in kernel space networking code where buffer boundaries are not properly validated before data manipulation operations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple system instability to potentially enable remote exploitation scenarios. When the kernel encounters the under-panic condition, it typically generates a kernel oops message and may trigger system crashes or reboot sequences, effectively creating a denial of service condition for wireless networking capabilities. Network administrators and system operators face the risk of unexpected service interruptions, particularly in environments where wireless connectivity is critical for operations. The vulnerability affects systems running Linux kernels with the wlcore driver and wl1271 wireless chipsets, making it relevant to embedded systems, IoT devices, and enterprise networking infrastructure that relies on this specific wireless hardware platform.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-129 and CWE-787 categories from the Common Weakness Enumeration taxonomy, specifically addressing issues related to insufficient bounds checking and out-of-bounds writes in kernel memory management. From the MITRE ATT&CK framework perspective, this represents a potential privilege escalation vector through system stability manipulation, though the primary impact remains denial of service rather than direct code execution. The vulnerability also connects to the broader category of kernel memory corruption issues that can serve as precursors to more severe exploitation techniques if combined with other vulnerabilities in the system landscape. Proper mitigation requires kernel updates that implement correct headroom validation before buffer manipulation operations, ensuring that sufficient space exists for wireless protocol headers and other required metadata during packet transmission processes.